The Lineage of Saint Hyacinth of Konski:Compiled by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska

Saint Hyacinth was of noble lineage. His nickname was "the Apostle of the North." He was born in 1185 in the castle of Lanka, Kamin (near Breslau, Silesia). He was a direct descendant of the House of Odrowaz (Odrovonge in French), of Silesia. His paternal grandfather was a general in the struggle against the Tartars.

GENERATION ONE:

Saul Odrowaz, Count of Konski defeated many enemies as a warrior/soldier.

GENERATION TWO:

General Saul Odrowaz, Count of Konski was known for his martial skills in the twelfth century, as he fought the Tartars.

GENERATION THREE:

Eustachius, Count of Konski was of the noble family of Odrowaz/Odrowatz (their eldest son). nicknamed "Father of the Poor" since his line devoted themselves to the Church and took an oath of poverty.

Rev. Ivo Odrowaz, Chancellor of Poland. He became the Bishop of Cracow, succeeding Vincent Kadlubek (as Bishop of Cracow) in 1218, UNTIL 1229. Rev. Iwo Odrowaz was the son of Pauli Odrowaz of Tarczel~ (d. 1210). HIs father, Pauli Odrowaz, was the son of Johannie of Pawellau. This position, as Bishop of Cracow, was urged by King Leszek and the hierarchy of Poland. Iwo was also Kanzler von Polen in 1207. John Prandota, was another Odrowaz Bishop of Cracow from 1242-1266.

GENERATION FOUR:

Hyacinth (St) went to the University of Prague, Cracow, and Bologna (doctor in canon law and theology).

St Hyacinth:

returned to Poland, and was prebend at Sandomir.

accompanied his uncle, Ivo Konski, the Bishop of Cracow, and Blessed Ceslas (his kin) he went to Rome, where he met St. Dominic. St. Dominic was reputed to have raised Napoleon Orsini back to life. Others who accompanied them were: Henry of Moravia and Herman of Germany.

Their group was one of the first to receive the habit of the newly established Order of the Friar Preachers at Santa Sabina's on Aventine Hill in March 1218/1220.

Here he also met Rev. Henry von Guttenstein, bishop of Prague.

established a convent of his order at Friesach (the northern part of the duchy) in Carinthia. Here they met with Rev. Eberhard von Truchsen, Archbishop of Salzburg. People flocked here, in large numbers, to hear Hyacinth's sermons. Father Herman of Germany was made superior of this house.

founded convents at Kulm, Camina (near the Oder), at Presmil and Elbinge, in Prussia. When Hyacinth arrived in Prussia they were still in worship of the devil. It is said that Hyacinth's cures, of the sick, brought them into the fold of Christianity.

received Gegan, a little islet in the Baltic from the Duke of Pomerania for a convent and church. This is the site of modern day Danzig. By 1295, Przemyslaw, king of Poland, began to erect the city of Danzig into a commerce and manufacturing center. It is said that Hyacinth predicted that it would be a great city one day.

established communities at Sandomir (capital of the palatinate in Little Poland), Cracow (at the Church of the Holy Trinity), Warsaw (the Old Polish Province) and at Plocki on the Vistula in Moravia.

preformed his first miracle of walking on water (found in the bull of canonization by Clement VIII). This was upon his visit to Vissegrad, where the Vistula had flooded its banks. Hyacinth said a prayer and made the sign of the cross and told all to follow him across the waters to the other side. The crowd was fearful so he set his cloak on the water and told them it would act as their bridge. His missionaries obeyed and passed without getting wet.

installed Blessed Ceslas and Henry of Moravia in Bohemia to carry on their work.

preached in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Scotland.

established communities at Lemberg, Hiletz,and Muscovy in Red Russia. Then went as far north as the Black Sea.

In Russia he was said to have converted Prince Colomon (Koloman) and his wife Princess Salomea.

established a convent at Dieff in Muscovy.

founded convents in Bulgaria and Moldavia.

preached in Galicia and Poldovia, and later Lithuania.

founded a convent at Vilna, the capital of Lithuania. Vilna was the capital of the duchy of Lithuania and became one of the chief houses of the Dominicans in Lithuania.

made journeys entirely on foot. Traveling some twelve thousand milesin his lifetime. Hyacinth slept on bare earth, bard board, and in the winter, on snow.

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returned ro Cracow in 1241 at age fifty-six (56) and he remained at the Convent of the Holy Trinity to rest from his many labors.

Lady Clemintina of Kosczielicz invited Hyacinth to preach to her vassals on Saint Margaret's Day. When he arrived at the village, on the eve of the feast, he found all the crops had been detroyed by heavy winds and hail. The people were thinking that they would surely starve in the days ahead. Hyacinth Odrowaz asked the Lord to perform a miracle. When the sun rose the next morning, the town looked exactly as it had before the storm. This was a joyful St. Margaret's Day in Kosczielicz.

Two other miracles occured in this town. A distinguised man and his wife were barren, and had no natural heirs for their wealth. Madam Felicia Gruszouska went to Hyacinth to ask for his prayers to help her produce an heir. He made the sign of the cross over her and told her to be of good faith. Her male heir would be the progenitor of many bishops and princes.

was held in high esteem by Boleslaw V and his wife, Queen Cunegunda. They both lived a model Christian life, and Boleslaw was named "Boleslaw the Chaste."

Princess Przybisluaska, a pious Christian, asked Hyacinth to preach at Zernitz (not far form Cracow). On her son's way back home, he fell into the River Raba and was drowned. Hyacinth walked to Zermitz and found the princess weeping by the river. He took the youth's hand, said a prayer, and commanded him to rise. He was then given to his mother's care. This was the last miracle of St. Hyacinth.

died in August 15, 1257 (age 72), in Cracow, Poland. Before his death he called his friends in God to his bedside. He said:

"My dear brothers, the time has come at last, when I must leave you. God calls me, and I must go to Him. Do not be sad, for I only go to join Christ Our Lord. I have always loved you on earth. I will not cease to love you in heaven. Continue to strive to prepare a place for yourselves there; for you know our Saviour never refuses such a blessing to those who are faithful to grace, and preserve in His service to the end. That which our holy father, Saint Dominic, bequeathed to me I leave to you.

Love one another. Be exact in the observamce of the rules of the Order. Everything in it is important for the smallest matters are so many aids of perfection. Love and practice poverty, charity, and obedience. Remember that your vocation requires that you ever labor for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. Be always eager to preach, and zealous in the propagation of the Order unto the end that more souls may be brought to love and serve God."

The Blessed John Prandota, Bishop of Cracow, went to the chuirch of the Friars Preachers as soon as he heard of Hyacinth's death, and paid his last respects.

Miracles seem to occur at once after his death, and the fiathful made many pilgrimages to this site.

In 1543, Rev. Peter Gamrat, archbishop of Gnesen, had a chapel erected in the Dominican Church of the Holy Trinity, Cracow, Poland; for the purpose of the translation of Hyacinth's relics. In 1583, there was a second translation conducted by Rev. Peter Miszkowski, Bishop of Crakow. At this time, enormous crowds came to the event.

St. Hyacinth was canonized by Pope Clement VIII on April 17, 1594. Hyacinth's miracles were coined as "countless." Some of his relics are housed in a Dominican church in Paris, France. On February 1, 1625, Pope Urban VIII extended the feast of St Hyacinth to the entire Roman Catholic community (not just in Poland). August 16 was laid down as the day of observance, and later it was changed to the 17th. St Hyacinth was, before then, only the patron saint of the Polish people.

Ceslaus was said to be Hyacinth's brother or cousin. This is not clear.